The Ohio Wildlife Center admitted more than 150 wild animals in the day after the storms that hit central Ohio on Tuesday, Aug. 11, and the nonprofit is asking for help covering the cost of their care.
Most of the new patients are orphans displaced by the storm, and many arrived with minor injuries from falls, the center said in an Aug. 12 appeal on its Facebook page. The surge landed in the middle of baby season, and the center asked supporters to help it “through this critical wave of patients.”
The appeal also broke down what an average patient costs to raise. An orphaned cottontail runs about $25 and needs specialized feeding nipples, formula, fresh greens, and close monitoring, since young rabbits are prone to stress-related illness during their short but intensive stay. An orphaned squirrel costs about $50, covering species-specific formula, feeding equipment, rodent blocks, and the produce and nuts it eats as it grows strong enough for release. Songbird chicks are the most expensive at about $75 each; the smallest orphans need feedings from sunrise to sunset, precise formula, protein-rich diets, and careful handling.
The Aug. 11 storms produced an EF1 tornado in south Columbus and straight-line wind damage in Upper Arlington, and more severe weather moved through the region over the weekend. For the human side of the cleanup, Columbus Navigator’s guide to helping with storm recovery covers volunteer crews and donation drives across central Ohio.
Donations to the center go through its support page. Anyone who finds an injured or orphaned wild animal can call the center’s wildlife hotline at 614-793-9453 before stepping in; animal admissions happen at the wildlife hospital at 6245 Cook Rd in Powell, open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
